1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method for providing a secure wireless communications link between a personal computer (PC) and a vehicle and, more particularly, to a method for providing a secure wireless communications link between a home PC and a vehicle that includes causing the vehicle to verify that the user who is using the PC is an authorized user.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
It has been suggested in the art that future vehicles may include various systems that allow wireless communications to be received from a home PC so as to allow the owner of the vehicle, or an authorized user, to send information, data and commands to the vehicle from the PC. For example, it has been proposed that a vehicle owner will be able to download digital music wirelessly from the PC to the vehicle where it will be stored for future use. Further, it has been proposed to wirelessly transmit commands from the PC to the vehicle to provide various vehicle personalization and customization settings and parameters, such as using metric or English displays, selection of lighting features, orientation of seat position, etc., so that the vehicle owner can provide the customization from his/her home. Also, it has been proposed that pre-computed navigation directions can be sent to the vehicle from the home PC to be stored for a later trip.
In one proposed application, a user will have a wireless access point at his home that is hard-wired to the home PC. The user will also be able to access the internet from the PC, through the wireless access point or otherwise. The user will send signals and commands from the PC to the wireless access point that are broadcast or transmitted to the vehicle over a wireless link. The wireless transmission is encrypted at the access point and the vehicle so as to provide a secure link between the vehicle and the wireless access point. However, any malicious algorithms, spyware, applications, programs, etc. that reside on the PC, possibly from the internet, will be outside the secure link between the wireless access point and the vehicle, and thus may be able to access the vehicle from the PC through the wireless access point. Consequently, a potential problem exists where the security for transmitting messages between the home PC and the vehicle is not robust enough.